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Amazon Hacks
by Paul Bausch
Navigating the mighty Amazon.com.
For most of us, the word “hack” conjures images of a dispossessed social
outcast angrily perched at a computer screen in an evil laboratory -most
likely a dank basement- wreaking havoc with computer systems by unleashing viruses aimed at paralyzing the backbone of society.
But to website application developer, Paul Bausch, and others in his field, the
term “refers to a “˜quick-n-dirty' solution to a problem or a clever way to
get something done. It means being technologically creative.
In Amazon Hacks, he turns that creativity into finding easier ways to
navigate and utilize the popular website of Internet retailer, Amazon.com,
drawing on a host of experts, including many members of the Amazon.com
technology team. In the book's forward, that team espouses, “we see such
abundant activity and opportunity for growth on the Amazon.com platform
that we consider it more an ecosystem than a website.”
Started as an online bookseller in 1995, Amazon received a warm response
from consumers who appreciated the convenience of being able to order books from the comfort of their home and then have them delivered to their door, prompting Amazon to start offering CDs and other products in addition to books.
Backed by a $900-million investment in technology, Amazon seems to have
become more than a store; a living, breathing creation that wants to get to
know the consumer and tailor itself to their needs.
In Amazon Hacks, Bausch starts with the basics, such as shortcuts for
streamlining browsing or searching for items you wish to purchase. From
there, he builds to the point of sharing effective ways to use the Amazon
website as a storefront to sell your own books, CDs or other products.
If it's speed you crave, he shows you how to strip Amazon of the product
images that take so long to load by running a text-only version of the
site.
If you're an Amazon veteran, the book contains some information you probably already know, but also a lot of things you probably don't know. For example, did you know that many charities have wish lists of items they
require that can be purchased and donated through the website? Or did you
know that there's a way to rank items on your own wish list so that when
gift occasions roll around all you have to do is refer friends or relatives
to that webpage on the site?
If you have visited the Amazon site and found yourself lost in the
labyrinth of products and information, Amazon Hacks can help you sort
through the confusion. The book's publisher offers a host of similar books
on other website applications, including eBay and Google.
Title: Amazon Hacks
Author: Paul Bausch
Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates
ISBN: 0596005423
Review written by: Marc Duane Anderson
Reviewer's Rating:8
Reader's Rating: 4.50
Reader's Votes: 4
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